Now in its seventh generation, the BMW 3 Series has long been one of the go-to choices in the compact saloon market. With stylish looks, decent practicality and even the iconic M3 performance variant, there’s a model for everyone.
It’s up against some serious competition in the likes of the Mercedes C-Class, Audi A4 and Jaguar XE though — so what does it offer over those? We take a look…
Style
Looks are always subjective, but to our eyes, the BMW 3 Series is the best of the lot in its current guise.
It’s BMW’s corporate design at its best — with a sleek silhouette, sharp head and taillights, an aggressive stance and just the right amount of ‘Kidney’ grille up front, it has a real presence on the roads that its closest competitors can’t compete with.
Delve into the M Performance catalogue and there’s scope to enhance its racier image too, with bags of styling bits to further separate the 3er from the crowd.
Practicality
In saloon form, the 3 Series is right at the front of the class. While seating five, there’s 480 litres of boot space on offer — matching that of the Audi A4 and Mercedes C-Class, and edging out the Jaguar XE and Alfa Romeo Giulia.
We’re still waiting for confirmation of a 3 Series Touring — but expect that to follow suit in terms of practicality when it arrives, which is likely to be sooner rather than later…
Versatility
The 3 Series is a jack-of-all-trades, and a master of most as well. We’ve already touched on its practicality, but it’s also available in a range of trims going from affordable to luxurious, while a multitude of powertrain options means it can cater to most needs.
Going to spend its life on motorways? There are efficient diesels for that. More conscious of the environment or just ready for the electric revolution? Step in the upcoming 330e. Gotta go fast? Well, we’ll come to that next…
Performance
BMW’s M division is up there in the pantheon of motoring names. It’s produced some of the most iconic performance cars to grace the planet, and key to that has been the M3. It’s gone on to become a poster child for performance saloons — right from the original E30 that dominated racetracks, the E46 that graced the cover Need for Speed, and to the most recent and brutal F80 M3, it has consistently beat rivals for theatre and sheer driving pleasure. The new one isn’t here yet, but when it does come, expect it to be incredible.
Can’t wait that long? Consider the M340i, which delivers an impressive level of performance for a ‘non-M’ car — and one that would put competing full-blown performance cars to shame.
